With my 4 years of experience working in a nursing home, I see the effects of Alzheimer's Disease every day. With no cure and an average life span of 10 years after diagnosis, Alzheimer's disease is devastating. Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. People with Alzheimer's struggle to accept and plan for the inexorable loss of their most precious assets — the thoughts, memories, relationships and personality traits that define who they are. Alzheimer's worsens over time. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer's, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. With a donation, you can help the Alzheimer's Association® continue to provide care and support to the more than five million Americans with Alzheimer's and their over 15 million caregivers. Your generosity would also help to advance the research that will one day lead us to methods of prevention, treatment and, ultimately, a cure for the disease. Every dollar counts in this fight. From face-to-face support to online education programs and promising worldwide research initiatives, your donations make a difference in the lives of those impacted by Alzheimer’s disease.